Their population is an estimated 17,031,873. Their National Anthem is: Himno Nacional de Chile and their national motto is "Por la razon o la fuerza" which in English means, "By reason or by force".
This video is an over overview ofChile. Chile is a beautiful country, with amazing geography. The culture is very exotic and unique. It will explain the basics of Chile.
Flag Description: white star with five points represents development and respect, the blue band represents the blue sky above Chile, the white band represents the snow that covers the towering Andes, red represents the blood that was shed so that Chile could have independence. Looks very similar to the Texas flag.
History
To learn more about the history of Chile, go to this video: Chile History Chile Relations with the USA Since Chile is a greater distance to Washington than many other capitols Chile hasn’t got a terrible relationship with the US. Even though the US took interest in the copper mines, that they made, Chile doesn’t give most of its copper to the US. In the 1960’s the United States identified Chile as a model country due to its democratic development. Whenever Allende was overthrown the military took over (That is when Pinochet started to rule). America helped the coup win against Allende. Soon after that they stopped trading with each other and became enemies. Soon after Pinochet was defeated Chile and the United States have regained their trust and is doing great in their relationship.To find out more about the coup please click on me! Important people Benardo O’Higgins was bornon the 20th of August in 1778. His hometown is Chillan, Chile. He joined a nationalist party around 1810 when their independence was once taken again. He had won many battles againest Peru and finally got the northern regions of Chile. In 1818 Chile got it’s independenceand Benardo O’Higgins was the first firm ruler. He stopped ruling until 1823 when he went to a peaceful like on an estate in Peru. O’Higgins died on October 24, 1842. Bernardo O' Higgins, an important man in Chilean history.
Pinochet- 1915-2006 Augusto Pinochet was a dictator/president from 1973-1990. He over threw the president at the time and killed 2,000 political people and arrested tons more people. He may have been very rude and mean, but he helped the economy a lot. The Spanish government arrested him in 1998 for murder and terrorism. Pinochet returned to his home country due to health issues in 1999. In 2000 he was charged again for kidnappings and murders. However, he couldn’t be tried because of his health. He always did terrible things until 2006, when he died. Below is a video of what Pinochet did.(Please read relations with USA first)
Conflicts through the Years- Just like any country, the conflicts in Chile date back to many years ago. Numerous times, the courageous Natives fought to defend their country. Tribes like the Atacama, Diaguita, and others lived on the north coast of Chile and on the southern part of the Atacama Desert. Another tribe, the Araucanians lived in the Central Valley. The Incas got control of northern Chile in the late 1400s. But they lost their rule when the Araucanians fought.In 1540 Spaniard Pedro de Valdivia brought in expedition to the Central Valley, which is now Peru. Santiago was founded on Feb. 12, 1541. But again the Araucanians fought back, destroyed the settlement not very long after. Later, Santiago was rebuilt and La Serena, Valparaiso, Concepcion, Valdivia, and Villarrica were founded by the Spaniards. In the end, Valdivia and his men were defeated by the Araucanians in 1553 in battle. Other Spainards had a lot of power and Chile was ruled by Spain for 300 years. After many years of war and struggling, Chile rebelled against Spain with the other New World colonies, and after eight years Jose Miguel Carrera and later Bernardo O’ Higgins, along with the Jose de Martin, an Argentine general led Chile to independence in 1818.
Goverment History- Chile has been through a lot of harsh government. In the 1960s their President Eduardo Frei Montalva made many reforms including changes in health and housing. Many opponents were not happy with his reform. After is control, Salvador Allende Gossens became the president in 1970. He leaded a coalition of Communists. His idea was to lead the country into socialism. After many changes that he made, he was overthrown on September 11, 1973 by the military. Although this was a change, it was not a good one because now, the dictator Pinochet was ruling Chile. Many that opposed the military government were sent to jail. Luckily, the people refused to extend his term in 1988 and Chile was heading towards a republic government. Today, Chile has a socialist president, Michelle Bachelet. The president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet.
Founding
Incaswere the first to be in control of most of Chile. They had more of central Chile than anything else. The Araucanian tribes soon took over most of Chile after a battle between them. When Spanish settlers saw and liked the land before them they took over it from the tribe and claimed it in the 16 century. Once overtaken many people from that tribe came back and tried to kill the settlers, but after the mid 19 century the small battles stopped. The Araucanian tribe was only in contol of southern Chile until 1818 when the independence was declared.
Tribal History
There were 3 main tribal groups in Chile. In the northern region were the Incas, the southern region were the Patagonians, and in the more fertile areas were the Araucanian tribe. The Incas were gifted in making hand crafts. The Patagonians went more towards agriculture due to their environment they were in. The Aracuanians were nomadic tribes who hunted and fished for a living. They engaged in warfare and in trading in small families and villages. When the Spanish arrived they were numbered up to 1 million. The number was split in half due to diseases. The Spanish and the tribes fought until the 19 century when the tribes gave up. The native Aracuanians Top Ten Major Events in Chile
Papal Bull Inter Caetera and the Treaty of Tordesillas (1493-1494)
The Conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires (1519-1533)
Independence from Spain and Portugal (1806-1898)
The Mexican American War (1846-1848)
The War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870)
The War of the Pacific (1879-1884)
The Construction of Panama Canal (1881-1893, 1904-1914)
The Mexican Revolution (1911-1920)
The Cuban Revolution (1953-1959)
Operation Condor (1975-1983)
Government
Chile has a republic government. Their capital is Santiago. Chile has been a republic democracy since March 1990. In the early 1970s, was on a path to socialism with Marxist president, Salvador Allende Gossens. When he was overthrown on September 11, 1973, they fell under military rule. When Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was in rule, Chile was under dictatorship.
Government Facts
Government type: Republic
Capital: Santiago
Administrative divisions: 13 regions: Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Has Executive, Legislative, Judicial branches.
Government Influence In the late 1980s, the government gradually permitted greater freedom of assembly, speech, and association, to include trade union and political activity. The government started market-oriented reforms, which have continued ever since. Chile moved toward a free economy market that saw an increase in domestic and foreign private investment.
Outlook- In order to distribute powers to less concentrated areas, Chile needs to increas the amount of power that local goverments have, and decrease federal goverments power to unite and have all classes of citizens participate event in rural areas.
Economics
Illegal Cocaine Trade For a long time Chile had not been effected by drug trade, but during the 1960’s/1970’s the illegal drug trade got so bad, it made a horrible international trend. By the early 1970s, Chile had become an important regional center for cocaine processing. Later that year, the military government formed a special narcotics unit within the Caribineros and began a big crackdown on getting rid of the cocaine. This was highly effective, bringing the narcotics problem under control within a year. Towards the end of the period of military rule, a new form of drug-related crime was noted in the northern Chilean provinces adjoining the Bolivian and Peruvian frontiers: the illicit exporting to Peru and Bolivia of chemicals used in the processing of cocaine. Since the early 1980s, drug trafficking has been growing in Chile. The country has become more prone to drug trafficking not only because of its geographic configuration and location, bordering on the world's two leading producers of coca--Peru and Bolivia--but also because of its economic stability.
Logging Because of illegal logging, Chile is in danger of losing the Valdivia rainforest. Along with countries Brazil,Colombia,Ecuador,Peru, Venezuela logging is a major problem. The Valdivia rainforest is located to the east of the Andes mountains and contains the Chilean national tree and the Pudu, the smallest deer in the world. Chile is becoming a main exporter of paper pulp and wood chips, so the Valdivia rainforest is being cut down to provide resources. Logging in this rainforest has caused conflict between the Mapuche Nation, native people that live in the Chile and Argentina, and logging companies. The Mapuche people use many resources in the rainforest. Logging is also threatning the Pehuenches and Araucarias. Many problems are coming from logging.Logging is threatening many rainforests. Tourism
Chile attracts many tourists. Many people go to Chile to ski on the Andes Mountains near Santiago. The top countries who go to visit Chile are Argentina and Peru. Another attraction is the National Parks at the Southern Lake District. Chile is a beautiful place for tourism.
Resources
Chile’s resources include coal, copper, iron ore, metals, and nirates. Their largest export is non copper and many different types of minerals. Chile has sold 417.6 million dollars of minerals in one year. Chile’s fruit and fish exports have gone down since 1998. Below is a great website that tells you all about their resources. Chile Resources
Copper is an important resource in Chile.
external image _40672397_chile203.jpg
Trade
1. Copper …US $4.1 billion (42.7% of Chilean to U.S. exports, up 144.7% from 2005)
Finished shingles, molding & wallboard … $622.1 million (6.5%, up 17.9%)
Non-monetary gold … $372.8 million (3.9%, up 61.3%)
Lumber & rough wood … $327.2 million (3.4%, up 18.3%)
Industrial inorganic chemicals … $199.5 million (2.1%, up 8%)
Unmanufactured steelmaking & ferroalloying materials … $191.2 million (2%, down 50.9%)
Wine & related products … $170.4 million (1.8%, up 2.5%)
Farming materials including animals … $135.4 million (1.4%, up 25%).
Fastest-Growing Chilean Exports to U.S. Below are American imports from Chile in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.
Civilian aircraft (parts) … US$1.2 million (up 930% from 2005)
Drilling & oil field equipment including platforms … $3.4 million (up 380%)
Paper & paper products … $3.4 million (up 238%)
Computer accessories, peripherals & parts … $4.3 million (up 235%)
Other scientific, medical & hospital equipment … $1.1 million (up 232%).
Chilean Imports from U.S. Of the $6.8 billion in American exports to Chile in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.
Other petroleum products …US$659.6 million (9.7% of Chilean to U.S. exports, up 53.3% from 2005)
Civilian aircraft … $577 million (8.5%, up 91.7%)
Fuel oil … $424.7 million (6.3%, down 6.8%)
Computer accessories … $308.4 million (4.5%, up 7.2%)
Materials handling equipment … $303.1 million (4.5%, up 13.4%)
Military aircraft (complete) … $294.9 million (4.3%, up 51,459%)
Excavating machinery … $280.1 million (4.1%, down 6.7%)
Minimum value shipments … $211.6 million (3.1%, up 21.4%)
Computers … $189 million (2.8%, up 32.4%)
Telecommunications equipment … $177.9 million (2.6%, up 38.8%).
Fastest-Growing Chilean Imports from U.S. Below are American exports to Chile in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.
Military aircraft (complete) … US$294.9 million (up 51,459% from 2005)
Soybeans … $12.2 million (up 41,990%)
Corn … $81.2 million (up 320%)
Unmanufactured agricultural industry materials … $9.3 million (up 254%)
Wheat … $37.9 million (up 219%).
Chile Businesses Businesses in Chile usually use a lot of technology. Their businesses are like European businesses, more formal than North American businesses. Even though Chilean workers love working there, only the top people get to make the decisions leaving the other Chileans with a few decisions. It is also hard to say yes in Chile with business offers. They say you will not gain a friend or business if you say no.
Chileans mostly speak English to most customers, but it is helpful to know other languages, like Spanish, because it will help expand the businesses. Most Chileans are friendly to each other so most workers are very nice to their customers.
Culture
Below is a website that has pictures and information about Chilean Art, Culture and Entertainment. There are links to many subjects. Take a look and enjoy the remarkable culture of Chile. Chilean Culture Dress- Chilean men usally wear jackets, not matter where they are or the temperature. They were darker colors for business. Women wear suits or dresses for business, bare legs are okay with dresses. Chilean women prefer not to wear revealing clothing.
Music: Chile’s national dance became the the Cueca on September 18, 1979. The dance has a story behind it and it is about a man who is trying to get the attention of a woman that plays coy behind a hankerchief. This dance is usually performed on Chilean National Day, which is September 18th. The dancers wear Chilean huaso, a traditional costume, and wave their hankerchiefs in the air. Chile’s most important music movement is called "nueva canción" (new song) and from 1960s, and had a lot of guitar, Andean instruments, while the folk singer sang politically based songs. One of the most popular music bands in Chile is Los Jaivas. Even when some members die or move away, others replace them, so it’s ongoing. The main band family is the Parra family. Violeta Parra was the famous family singer in the 1940s and 50s. Victor Jara was a singer from the "nueva canción" that got international fame. His music was very famous, but sadly he died after he was taken to the National Stadium and tortured after September 11, 1973. Today, Chile has several bands that are successful. There salsa lessons are offered with native music at clubs. Some bands in Chile are La Ley, Los Tres and Los Prisioneros, Chancho en Piedra, Los Bunkers, Sinergia. There is classical music at the Frutillar Music Festival which has been going since 1968 and is during Jan. and Feb. Mapuche are indegnious people are here is a look at their musical instruments.
Some instruments that are used in Chilean music are:
· Cane and cow horn trumpets
· rattles
· Drums likemakawa, kultrún · Flutes like kena, siku
· Spanish gutair
This video shows traditional folk dances in Chile, the clothes they wear in these dances, and the music they use.
Mapuche are indegnious people in Chile, and here is a look at their musical instruments.
Chile's religion is mostly Roman Catholic, but there are others such as Evengelica. Languages In Chile the main Language is Spanish but people there also speak German, English, Aymara and Mapudungun. Mapudungun is spoken between The Itata and Tolten Rivers. Also Aymara is spoken in the mountains of the north. Food Chilean food has is influenced by other cultures. Chilean food is part Indian, Spanish, German, English, and Italian. Chileans use a lot of fresh crops including potatoes, corn, pumpkins, chili peppers, and beans. The food reflects the Chilean traditions. Because Chile is a coastal country, they have access to fresh fish, so that is a popular item on the menu. Some popular meals and dishes are: mashed corn that is then wrapped in corn husks (humitas) and empanadas Chilenas (meat pies). Chileans also have some other popular recipes based on corn.
This is a picture of the delicious empanadas.
Sports The most popular sport in Chile is futbol (soccer). The national team is La Roja and there are also many local teams. Some other popular sports are horseback riding, horseracing, tennis, Palin, and rodeo. Futbol is a very popular sport in Chile. Art Chile has a mix of traditional and contemporary art. Over the years, Chilean art has become more international and has progressed. Chile has well known popular literature. Its poetry is especially famous. Some famous literature figures from Chile include: Pablo Neruda (poet), Gabriella Mistral (poet), Isabelle Allende, Luis Sepulveda, and Antonio Skarmeta. All of these writers have received recognition and are popular. Santiago is the main place in Chile that holds a lot of its art. They hold many concerts and performances, and artists showcase their work in the many galleries and museums. There are also many sculptures in Chile and famous sculptors. Painting is another important part of Chile’s art. Copper Sculpture
Pablo Neruda, a famous Chilean poet Chile Holidays · January 1st- New Years Day is where people welcome the new year. · March through April- Holy Week is what many Christians celebrate. It includes Good Friday and the Saturday after. · May 1st- Labor Day is when many people take the day off and celebrate the contributions the workers have done. · May 21st- Navy Day is where people celebrate all the battles the naval won. · June 29th- Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day is where many Catholics have a feast and appreciate those saints. · August 15th- The Assumption of Mary is a day where many Catholics celebrate Jesus’ mother, Mary, passageway to heaven. · September 18th- Independence Day is when the people of Chile celebrate when they got independence on February 18th, 1818. · September 19th- Armed Forces Day is when te people of Chile recognize the battles they have won. · October 12th- Columbus day is a day to celebrate Columbus coming to the Americas. · October 31st- Reformation Day which is a day of Angelica and Protestant churches. · In mid-December it is a public holiday (elections) where people go and vote. · December 25th- Christmas is a day to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Geography
Overview- The long country of Chile is about 2,650 miles long and width is 265 miles. Chile can reach to being very cold and very warm in different places and has very intense landscapes and climate. Atacama Desert a very dry place, in fact, one of the driest on the whole Earth. In South Pacific Ocean, there are the Easter Islands. Chile has three land regions- the Northern Desert, the Central Valley, and the Archipelago. and they all have reoccurring natural action. Bordering Countries- Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Natural Disastersn- Earthquakes, tsunamis, and active volcanos. They recently had an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8. Chile Earthquake 1. The Osorno Volcano
The Osorno Volcano is like a replica of Mount Fuji. It has had 11 eruptions and is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Chile.
Chile Wildlife
First is The Altiplano. The Altiplano is an ecosystem with the worlds highest growing trees, very highly elvated pieces of land, and any flowers such as quenoa, and a very heavy lime-green colonial organism called the llareta. The animals in the area are alpacas, llamas, vicunas, and Guancos. Also they have Andean geese and three different species of flamingos. Second is The North Coast. The North Coast has coastal ecosystems, such as the Pan de Azucar National Park, which contains over 140 species of endemic cacti, while a variety of birds and marine animals, such as sealions, bottle nosed dolphins, humboldt dolphins, and Chilean Penguins are housed by the Reserva Naconal de Pinguino de Humboldt, located within the coastal ecosystem. Third The Andes & Central Valleys. In the Andes and Central valleys the living things there include drought resistant cacti species on trees similar to the Calafornia chaparral on river bottoms and shaped slopes, and sunny slopes. The high Andes protect foxes, pumas, and condors.
Chile_wildlife.jpg image by enaj000
Chile has an amazing variety of wildlife.
Agriculture Because the Central Valley has good soil and a mild climate, farmers are able to grow a lot of crops. They grow barley, corn, oats, rice, wheat, beans, potatoes, and much more. In other areas of Chile, agriculture is not as successful because the climate and terrain is not very good for farming. There are not enough farmers to grow enough food for all of Chile’s people, so they also depend on large amounts of food imports. Actually, Chile’s rules and policies cause there to be even less amounts of land for agriculture.
Environmental Concerns Some of Chile’s environmental concerns include: deforestation and mining endanger the natural resources, cars and factories create air pollution, raw sewage causing water pollution. Landforms-
Andes Moutains
600 Volcanoes
Cape Horn
Atacama Dessert Climate Patterns
The climate of Chile comprises a wide range of weather conditions across a large geographic scale, extending across 38 degrees in latitude, making generalizations difficult. According to the Köppen system, Chile within its borders hosts at least seven major climatic subtypes, ranging from desert in the north, to alpine tundra and glaciers in the east and southeast, humid subtropical in Easter Island, Oceanicin the south and Mediterranean climate .in central Chile. There are four seasons in most of the country: summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August), and spring (September to November)
Bibliography
"Chile." The World Factbook. CIA, n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ci.html>.
"Chile business, Chile people, information Chile." travel to Chile, Santiago de Chile, City of Santiago. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2010. http://www.santiago.cl/living/business.htm.
"Chilean Culture and Customs, Info & Facts on People, Traditions of Chile." Welcome to the Chile Information Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2010. <http://www.chipsites.com/ww/chile_culture_101.html>.
Welcome to Chile!
Their population is an estimated 17,031,873. Their National Anthem is: Himno Nacional de Chile and their national motto is "Por la razon o la fuerza" which in English means, "By reason or by force".
Table of Contents
This video is an over overview of Chile. Chile is a beautiful country, with amazing geography. The culture is very exotic and unique. It will explain the basics of Chile.
Flag Description: white star with five points represents development and respect, the blue band represents the blue sky above Chile, the white band represents the snow that covers the towering Andes, red represents the blood that was shed so that Chile could have independence. Looks very similar to the Texas flag.
History
To learn more about the history of Chile, go to this video: Chile HistoryChile Relations with the USA
Since Chile is a greater distance to Washington than many other capitols Chile hasn’t got a terrible relationship with the US. Even though the US took interest in the copper mines, that they made, Chile doesn’t give most of its copper to the US. In the 1960’s the United States identified Chile as a model country due to its democratic development. Whenever Allende was overthrown the military took over (That is when Pinochet started to rule). America helped the coup win against Allende. Soon after that they stopped trading with each other and became enemies. Soon after Pinochet was defeated Chile and the United States have regained their trust and is doing great in their relationship.To find out more about the coup please click on me!
Important people
Benardo O’Higgins was born on the 20th of August in 1778. His hometown is Chillan, Chile. He joined a nationalist party around 1810 when their independence was once taken again. He had won many battles againest Peru and finally got the northern regions of Chile. In 1818 Chile got it’s independenceand Benardo O’Higgins was the first firm ruler. He stopped ruling until 1823 when he went to a peaceful like on an estate in Peru. O’Higgins died on October 24, 1842.
Pinochet- 1915-2006 Augusto Pinochet was a dictator/president from 1973-1990. He over threw the president at the time and killed 2,000 political people and arrested tons more people. He may have been very rude and mean, but he helped the economy a lot. The Spanish government arrested him in 1998 for murder and terrorism. Pinochet returned to his home country due to health issues in 1999. In 2000 he was charged again for kidnappings and murders. However, he couldn’t be tried because of his health. He always did terrible things until 2006, when he died.
Below is a video of what Pinochet did.(Please read relations with USA first)
Conflicts through the Years-
Just like any country, the conflicts in Chile date back to many years ago. Numerous times, the courageous Natives fought to defend their country. Tribes like the Atacama, Diaguita, and others lived on the north coast of Chile and on the southern part of the Atacama Desert. Another tribe, the Araucanians lived in the Central Valley. The Incas got control of northern Chile in the late 1400s. But they lost their rule when the Araucanians fought.In 1540 Spaniard Pedro de Valdivia brought in expedition to the Central Valley, which is now Peru. Santiago was founded on Feb. 12, 1541. But again the Araucanians fought back, destroyed the settlement not very long after. Later, Santiago was rebuilt and La Serena, Valparaiso, Concepcion, Valdivia, and Villarrica were founded by the Spaniards. In the end, Valdivia and his men were defeated by the Araucanians in 1553 in battle. Other Spainards had a lot of power and Chile was ruled by Spain for 300 years. After many years of war and struggling, Chile rebelled against Spain with the other New World colonies, and after eight years Jose Miguel Carrera and later Bernardo O’ Higgins, along with the Jose de Martin, an Argentine general led Chile to independence in 1818.
Goverment History-
Chile has been through a lot of harsh government. In the 1960s their President Eduardo Frei Montalva made many reforms including changes in health and housing. Many opponents were not happy with his reform. After is control, Salvador Allende Gossens became the president in 1970. He leaded a coalition of Communists. His idea was to lead the country into socialism. After many changes that he made, he was overthrown on September 11, 1973 by the military. Although this was a change, it was not a good one because now, the dictator Pinochet was ruling Chile. Many that opposed the military government were sent to jail. Luckily, the people refused to extend his term in 1988 and Chile was heading towards a republic government. Today, Chile has a socialist president, Michelle Bachelet.
Founding
Incas were the first to be in control of most of Chile. They had more of central Chile than anything else. The Araucanian tribes soon took over most of Chile after a battle between them. When Spanish settlers saw and liked the land before them they took over it from the tribe and claimed it in the 16 century. Once overtaken many people from that tribe came back and tried to kill the settlers, but after the mid 19 century the small battles stopped. The Araucanian tribe was only in contol of southern Chile until 1818 when the independence was declared.
Tribal HistoryThere were 3 main tribal groups in Chile. In the northern region were the Incas, the southern region were the Patagonians, and in the more fertile areas were the Araucanian tribe. The Incas were gifted in making hand crafts. The Patagonians went more towards agriculture due to their environment they were in. The Aracuanians were nomadic tribes who hunted and fished for a living. They engaged in warfare and in trading in small families and villages. When the Spanish arrived they were numbered up to 1 million. The number was split in half due to diseases. The Spanish and the tribes fought until the 19 century when the tribes gave up.
The native Aracuanians
Top Ten Major Events in Chile
Papal Bull Inter Caetera and the Treaty of Tordesillas (1493-1494)
The Conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires (1519-1533)
Independence from Spain and Portugal (1806-1898)
The Mexican American War (1846-1848)
The War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870)
The War of the Pacific (1879-1884)
The Construction of Panama Canal (1881-1893, 1904-1914)
The Mexican Revolution (1911-1920)
The Cuban Revolution (1953-1959)
Operation Condor (1975-1983)
Government
Chile has a republic government. Their capital is Santiago. Chile has been a republic democracy since March 1990. In the early 1970s, was on a path to socialism with Marxist president, Salvador Allende Gossens. When he was overthrown on September 11, 1973, they fell under military rule. When Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was in rule, Chile was under dictatorship.Government Facts
Government type: Republic
Capital: Santiago
Administrative divisions: 13 regions: Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Has Executive, Legislative, Judicial branches.
Government Influence
In the late 1980s, the government gradually permitted greater freedom of assembly, speech, and association, to include trade union and political activity. The government started market-oriented reforms, which have continued ever since. Chile moved toward a free economy market that saw an increase in domestic and foreign private investment.
Outlook-
In order to distribute powers to less concentrated areas, Chile needs to increas the amount of power that local goverments have, and decrease federal goverments power to unite and have all classes of citizens participate event in rural areas.
Economics
Illegal Cocaine Trade
For a long time Chile had not been effected by drug trade, but during the 1960’s/1970’s the illegal drug trade got so bad, it made a horrible international trend. By the early 1970s, Chile had become an important regional center for cocaine processing. Later that year, the military government formed a special narcotics unit within the Caribineros and began a big crackdown on getting rid of the cocaine. This was highly effective, bringing the narcotics problem under control within a year. Towards the end of the period of military rule, a new form of drug-related crime was noted in the northern Chilean provinces adjoining the Bolivian and Peruvian frontiers: the illicit exporting to Peru and Bolivia of chemicals used in the processing of cocaine. Since the early 1980s, drug trafficking has been growing in Chile. The country has become more prone to drug trafficking not only because of its geographic configuration and location, bordering on the world's two leading producers of coca--Peru and Bolivia--but also because of its economic stability.
Logging
Because of illegal logging, Chile is in danger of losing the Valdivia rainforest. Along with countries Brazil,Colombia,Ecuador,Peru, Venezuela logging is a major problem. The Valdivia rainforest is located to the east of the Andes mountains and contains the Chilean national tree and the Pudu, the smallest deer in the world. Chile is becoming a main exporter of paper pulp and wood chips, so the Valdivia rainforest is being cut down to provide resources. Logging in this rainforest has caused conflict between the Mapuche Nation, native people that live in the Chile and Argentina, and logging companies. The Mapuche people use many resources in the rainforest. Logging is also threatning the Pehuenches and Araucarias. Many problems are coming from logging.
Tourism
Chile attracts many tourists. Many people go to Chile to ski on the Andes Mountains near Santiago. The top countries who go to visit Chile are Argentina and Peru. Another attraction is the National Parks at the Southern Lake District.
Resources
Chile’s resources include coal, copper, iron ore, metals, and nirates. Their largest export is non copper and many different types of minerals. Chile has sold 417.6 million dollars of minerals in one year. Chile’s fruit and fish exports have gone down since 1998. Below is a great website that tells you all about their resources.
Chile Resources
Copper is an important resource in Chile.
Trade
1. Copper …US $4.1 billion (42.7% of Chilean to U.S. exports, up 144.7% from 2005)
- Fruits & preparations (e.g. frozen juices) … $1.3 billion (14%, up 17.9%)
- Fish & shellfish … $957 million (10%, up 26.1%)
- Finished shingles, molding & wallboard … $622.1 million (6.5%, up 17.9%)
- Non-monetary gold … $372.8 million (3.9%, up 61.3%)
- Lumber & rough wood … $327.2 million (3.4%, up 18.3%)
- Industrial inorganic chemicals … $199.5 million (2.1%, up 8%)
- Unmanufactured steelmaking & ferroalloying materials … $191.2 million (2%, down 50.9%)
- Wine & related products … $170.4 million (1.8%, up 2.5%)
- Farming materials including animals … $135.4 million (1.4%, up 25%).
Fastest-Growing Chilean Exports to U.S.Below are American imports from Chile in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.
- Civilian aircraft (parts) … US$1.2 million (up 930% from 2005)
- Drilling & oil field equipment including platforms … $3.4 million (up 380%)
- Paper & paper products … $3.4 million (up 238%)
- Computer accessories, peripherals & parts … $4.3 million (up 235%)
- Other scientific, medical & hospital equipment … $1.1 million (up 232%).
Chilean Imports from U.S.Of the $6.8 billion in American exports to Chile in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.
- Other petroleum products …US$659.6 million (9.7% of Chilean to U.S. exports, up 53.3% from 2005)
- Civilian aircraft … $577 million (8.5%, up 91.7%)
- Fuel oil … $424.7 million (6.3%, down 6.8%)
- Computer accessories … $308.4 million (4.5%, up 7.2%)
- Materials handling equipment … $303.1 million (4.5%, up 13.4%)
- Military aircraft (complete) … $294.9 million (4.3%, up 51,459%)
- Excavating machinery … $280.1 million (4.1%, down 6.7%)
- Minimum value shipments … $211.6 million (3.1%, up 21.4%)
- Computers … $189 million (2.8%, up 32.4%)
- Telecommunications equipment … $177.9 million (2.6%, up 38.8%).
Fastest-Growing Chilean Imports from U.S.Below are American exports to Chile in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.
Chile Businesses
Businesses in Chile usually use a lot of technology. Their businesses are like European businesses, more formal than North American businesses. Even though Chilean workers love working there, only the top people get to make the decisions leaving the other Chileans with a few decisions. It is also hard to say yes in Chile with business offers. They say you will not gain a friend or business if you say no.
Chileans mostly speak English to most customers, but it is helpful to know other languages, like Spanish, because it will help expand the businesses. Most Chileans are friendly to each other so most workers are very nice to their customers.
Culture
Below is a website that has pictures and information about Chilean Art, Culture and Entertainment. There are links to many subjects. Take a look and enjoy the remarkable culture of Chile. Chilean Culture
Dress-
Chilean men usally wear jackets, not matter where they are or the temperature. They were darker colors for business. Women wear suits or dresses for business, bare legs are okay with dresses. Chilean women prefer not to wear revealing clothing.
Music:
Chile’s national dance became the the Cueca on September 18, 1979. The dance has a story behind it and it is about a man who is trying to get the attention of a woman that plays coy behind a hankerchief. This dance is usually performed on Chilean National Day, which is September 18th. The dancers wear Chilean huaso, a traditional costume, and wave their hankerchiefs in the air. Chile’s most important music movement is called "nueva canción" (new song) and from 1960s, and had a lot of guitar, Andean instruments, while the folk singer sang politically based songs. One of the most popular music bands in Chile is Los Jaivas. Even when some members die or move away, others replace them, so it’s ongoing. The main band family is the Parra family. Violeta Parra was the famous family singer in the 1940s and 50s. Victor Jara was a singer from the "nueva canción" that got international fame. His music was very famous, but sadly he died after he was taken to the National Stadium and tortured after September 11, 1973. Today, Chile has several bands that are successful. There salsa lessons are offered with native music at clubs. Some bands in Chile are La Ley, Los Tres and Los Prisioneros, Chancho en Piedra, Los Bunkers, Sinergia. There is classical music at the Frutillar Music Festival which has been going since 1968 and is during Jan. and Feb. Mapuche are indegnious people are here is a look at their musical instruments.
Some instruments that are used in Chilean music are:
· Cane and cow horn trumpets
· rattles
· Drums like makawa, kultrún
· Flutes like kena, siku
· Spanish gutair
This video shows traditional folk dances in Chile, the clothes they wear in these dances, and the music they use.
Mapuche are indegnious people in Chile, and here is a look at their musical instruments.
Chile's religion is mostly Roman Catholic, but there are others such as Evengelica.
Languages
In Chile the main Language is Spanish but people there also speak German, English, Aymara and Mapudungun. Mapudungun is spoken between The Itata and Tolten Rivers. Also Aymara is spoken in the mountains of the north.
Food
Chilean food has is influenced by other cultures. Chilean food is part Indian, Spanish, German, English, and Italian. Chileans use a lot of fresh crops including potatoes, corn, pumpkins, chili peppers, and beans. The food reflects the Chilean traditions. Because Chile is a coastal country, they have access to fresh fish, so that is a popular item on the menu. Some popular meals and dishes are: mashed corn that is then wrapped in corn husks (humitas) and empanadas Chilenas (meat pies). Chileans also have some other popular recipes based on corn.
Sports
The most popular sport in Chile is futbol (soccer). The national team is La Roja and there are also many local teams. Some other popular sports are horseback riding, horseracing, tennis, Palin, and rodeo.
Futbol is a very popular sport in Chile.
Art
Chile has a mix of traditional and contemporary art. Over the years, Chilean art has become more international and has progressed. Chile has well known popular literature. Its poetry is especially famous. Some famous literature figures from Chile include: Pablo Neruda (poet), Gabriella Mistral (poet), Isabelle Allende, Luis Sepulveda, and Antonio Skarmeta. All of these writers have received recognition and are popular. Santiago is the main place in Chile that holds a lot of its art. They hold many concerts and performances, and artists showcase their work in the many galleries and museums. There are also many sculptures in Chile and famous sculptors. Painting is another important part of Chile’s art.
Pablo Neruda, a famous Chilean poet
Chile Holidays
· January 1st- New Years Day is where people welcome the new year.
· March through April- Holy Week is what many Christians celebrate. It includes Good Friday and the Saturday after.
· May 1st- Labor Day is when many people take the day off and celebrate the contributions the workers have done.
· May 21st- Navy Day is where people celebrate all the battles the naval won.
· June 29th- Saint Peter and Saint Paul Day is where many Catholics have a feast and appreciate those saints.
· August 15th- The Assumption of Mary is a day where many Catholics celebrate Jesus’ mother, Mary, passageway to heaven.
· September 18th- Independence Day is when the people of Chile celebrate when they got independence on February 18th, 1818.
· September 19th- Armed Forces Day is when te people of Chile recognize the battles they have won.
· October 12th- Columbus day is a day to celebrate Columbus coming to the Americas.
· October 31st- Reformation Day which is a day of Angelica and Protestant churches.
· In mid-December it is a public holiday (elections) where people go and vote.
· December 25th- Christmas is a day to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Geography
Overview-The long country of Chile is about 2,650 miles long and width is 265 miles. Chile can reach to being very cold and very warm in different places and has very intense landscapes and climate. Atacama Desert a very dry place, in fact, one of the driest on the whole Earth. In South Pacific Ocean, there are the Easter Islands. Chile has three land regions- the Northern Desert, the Central Valley, and the Archipelago. and they all have reoccurring natural action.
Bordering Countries- Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.
Natural Disastersn- Earthquakes, tsunamis, and active volcanos. They recently had an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8.
Chile Earthquake
1. The Osorno Volcano
The Osorno Volcano is like a replica of Mount Fuji. It has had 11 eruptions and is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Chile.
Chile Wildlife
First is The Altiplano. The Altiplano is an ecosystem with the worlds highest growing trees, very highly elvated pieces of land, and any flowers such as quenoa, and a very heavy lime-green colonial organism called the llareta. The animals in the area are alpacas, llamas, vicunas, and Guancos. Also they have Andean geese and three different species of flamingos.
Second is The North Coast. The North Coast has coastal ecosystems, such as the Pan de Azucar National Park, which contains over 140 species of endemic cacti, while a variety of birds and marine animals, such as sealions, bottle nosed dolphins, humboldt dolphins, and Chilean Penguins are housed by the Reserva Naconal de Pinguino de Humboldt, located within the coastal ecosystem.
Third The Andes & Central Valleys. In the Andes and Central valleys the living things there include drought resistant cacti species on trees similar to the Calafornia chaparral on river bottoms and shaped slopes, and sunny slopes. The high Andes protect foxes, pumas, and condors.
Agriculture
Because the Central Valley has good soil and a mild climate, farmers are able to grow a lot of crops. They grow barley, corn, oats, rice, wheat, beans, potatoes, and much more. In other areas of Chile, agriculture is not as successful because the climate and terrain is not very good for farming. There are not enough farmers to grow enough food for all of Chile’s people, so they also depend on large amounts of food imports. Actually, Chile’s rules and policies cause there to be even less amounts of land for agriculture.
Environmental Concerns
Some of Chile’s environmental concerns include: deforestation and mining endanger the natural resources, cars and factories create air pollution, raw sewage causing water pollution.
Landforms-
Andes Moutains
600 Volcanoes
Cape Horn
Atacama Dessert
Climate Patterns
The climate of Chile comprises a wide range of weather conditions across a large geographic scale, extending across 38 degrees in latitude, making generalizations difficult. According to the Köppen system, Chile within its borders hosts at least seven major climatic subtypes, ranging from desert in the north, to alpine tundra and glaciers in the east and southeast, humid subtropical in Easter Island, Oceanicin the south and Mediterranean climate .in central Chile. There are four seasons in most of the country: summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August), and spring (September to November)
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